Roulette is a popular wagering game played in casinos and other gaming establishments. In mechanical versions of the game (versus video generated), a roulette ball is launched into an angled annular track encircling a spinning roulette wheel. The roulette ball continues to rotate around the annular track in an opposite direction of the spinning roulette wheel creating friction between the roulette ball and the annular track. The friction created between the roulette ball and the annular track causes the ball to lose momentum. Upon losing sufficient momentum, the roulette ball exits the annular track and follows a spiraling path towards the roulette wheel.
As it follows the spiraling path, the roulette ball may engage with one or more of the ball stops (or canoes) intervening between the annular track and the roulette wheel, causing the ball to jump about. Eventually the roulette ball comes to rest in one of the numerous equally-spaced ball slots located along a circumference of the roulette wheel. Each ball slot among the equally-spaced ball slots is isolated from adjacent ball slots by separators positioned radially outward and corresponds to a particular number and color. The particular number represents a result for the game cycle that began when the roulette ball was launched.
As the roulette ball comes to rest, a marker (or dolly) is placed on an area of a felt betting area (or layout) identifying the particular number and color corresponding to the ball slot in which the roulette ball came to rest. Winning and losing bets for that game cycle to be placed on the felt betting area are then determined according to the result. Once the losing bets are collected and the winning bets are paid, a new game cycle starts.
In addition to causing the roulette ball to lose momentum, the friction between the roulette ball and the annular track may also erode some material from the annular track. That material eroded from the annular track and/or the ball becomes dust within the roulette wheel and the annular track. Another opportunity for the creation and dispersion of dust arises any time the roulette ball engages with a ball stop. As subsequent balls are launched into the angled track, interaction between the dust and subsequent roulette balls may impact a later game cycle.
For example, randomization of the later game cycle's result may be reduced by interaction with the dust. Also, subsequent roulette balls may rotate slower around the annular track, which increases game cycle times and further reduces randomization. At some point, dust generated by the friction renders the roulette table aesthetically displeasing, which negatively impacts the players' experience. The dust may also slow down game play cycles, thereby making the roulette table less productive. Furthermore, removing the dust creates maintenance downtime during which the roulette table is unavailable for gameplay.
While seemingly straightforward as far as games are concerned, new players to roulette can find all of the different types of possible bets confusing. Bets can be placed on “red/black” (all red or black numbers and excluding 0 and 00), on “even/odd” (all even or odd numbers and excluding 0 and 00), on “low/high” numbers 1-18 or numbers 19-36, on “dozen” or “third” (1-12, 13-24 or 25-36, on “column” (all numbers in one of three columns when the table is viewed from its end), on “straight up” (any single number), on “0” or “00” (some tables only use “0”), on “row” (0 and 00), on “top line” or “basket” (0, 00, 1, 2 and 3), on “six line” (any six numbers from two horizontal rows), on “split” (any two adjoining numbers vertical or horizontal), on “street” (any three numbers horizontal, such as 1, 2, 3 or 4, 5, 6, etc.), and on “corner” (any four adjoining numbers in a block, such as 1, 2, 4, 5 or 17, 18, 20, 21, etc.). It can take significant time for players to place bets in all of these different ways, which forces dealers to push players to finish bets, or if a machine is being used a timer to be employed, which can frustrate players.